Delhi HC allows income tax probe into Young Indian: Chronology of events

The Delhi High Court today declined to stay the income tax proceedings against Young Indian Pvt Ltd in the National Herald case involving Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and asked them to approach tax authorities.

Following is the chronology of events in the case: 

Nov 2012: BJP leader Subramanian Swamy files complaint against Sonia, Rahul and others for allegedly conspiring to cheat and misappropriate funds by paying just Rs 50 lakh through which Young Indian (YI) Pvt Ltd obtained the right to recover Rs 90.25 crore which Associate Journals Limited (AJL) owed to the Congress. 

June 26, 2014: Court summons Gandhis and others as accused in the criminal complaint. 

Aug 6: Delhi HC stays criminal proceedings against Gandhis. 

Jan 12, 2015: HC judge recuses from hearing Sonia, Rahul plea. 

Mar 18: Sonia tells HC that there is nothing illegal in acquisition of AJL by YI. 

Mar 24: Sonia tells HC that summoning in Herald case illegal claiming no one was cheated in the acquisition process. 

Jul 2: Sonia tells HC that debt assigned to YI to revive National Herald. 

Dec 4: HC says Congress party could have written off the loan of Rs 90.25 cr instead of assigning it to a charitable company in which some of its leaders are directors. 

Dec 7: HC dismisses pleas of Gandhis challenging summons issued to them in the case. Rejects plea for exemption from personal appearance in the trial court. 

Dec 8: Court directs Sonia, Rahul to appear on Dec 19. 

Dec 19: Sonia, Rahul, Motilal Vora, Oscar Fernandes and Suman Dubey appear before a magistrate in Patiala House Court and get bail. 

Jan 11, 2016: Court allows Swamy's plea to summon documents from ministries of Finance, Urban Development and Corporate Affairs, Income Tax Department and other agencies in the case. 

Feb 4: Sonia, Rahul move SC for quashing of case. 

Feb 12: SC gives exemption to Gandhis from personal appearance in the trial court but refused to interfere with criminal proceedings. 

Mar 1: Swamy seeks summoning of financial details of Indian National Congress (INC). 

Mar 11: Court allows Swamy's plea to summon INC documents for the year 2010-2011. 

Apr 4: Cong leaders challenge in Delhi High Court, the trial court order summoning the 2010-11 balance sheet of INC. 

Apr 8: Congress submits balance sheet in trial court. 

Jul 12: HC sets aside trial court order summoning of documents. 

Jul 16: Swamy tells court he will file fresh application for summoning of documents. 

Aug 27: Notice issued to Sonia, Rahul on Swamy's plea. 

Sep 20: Sonia accuses Swamy of seeking 'fishing and roving enquiry' in case. 

Nov 4: Congress seeks return of documents. 

Dec 9: Court reserves order on summoning Cong documents. 

Dec 26: Court dismisses Swamy's plea seeking documents from Congress and AJL. 

Feb 10, 2017: Swamy files list of witnesses in the case. 

Mar 25: Sonia, Rahul oppose Swamy's plea saying it was "vague and devoid of material particulars". 

Apr 22: Swamy seeks to examine ex-Haryana CM B S Hooda as witness. 

May 12: Delhi HC declines to stay IT proceedings against YI in National Herald case involving Cong leaders Sonia and Rahul.